Letter: Gradual cut of welfare cash would be better than all at once

In light of your recent article about easing the welfare cash assistance cap into place to prevent unintended consequences, I would have to agree that this would be a lot better than just cutting low-income people off abruptly.

I believe that if all of a sudden their money was gone, that hundreds of thousands of people would lose their housing. In 1999, many low-income families became uninsured as a direct result of welfare reform. I just can't imagine what would happen to the families if their cash assistance was here one day and completely gone the next. It's not like losing your job and having unemployment to fall back on.

I am a teacher for the Head Start program in Saginaw County and I work closely with 30 families on a daily basis. Many of the families are very concerned about what will happen in October. They have expressed concern about being evicted or losing their homes. They don't want to live in a homeless center, but are afraid that it might happen to them.

Several of the parents are going to school so that they will have a career, but are unable to work full-time at a job. Some of the families have been looking for a steady job for years. They tell me there isn't any job out there for them or that the jobs that are available are at night. Then they have daycare issues if they take a night job and no time to spend with their children.

I feel their struggles are very relevant and I wish there was something I could do to help. I think the legislators at the state Capitol should rethink their plan on putting a four-year cap on cash benefits that are to take place on Oct. 1. A gradual cut would be more effective in the long run.